Valve



May 19, 1936. B. a. WHlTTLE VALVE Filed June 26, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet lFIG.4.

Fina

INVENTOR.

B. B. WHITTLE VALVE May 19, 1936.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 26, 1953 F I G. 5.

WfiM

' I r I Patented I May 19, 1936 VALVE Benjamindi. Whittle, OklahomaCity, Okla.; Lessie F. Whittle executrix of said Benjamin B. Whittle,deceased Application J une 26, 1

2 Claims.

My invention relates to valves for controlling the flow of fluids, andmore particularly to valves for use on high pressure lines.

It is the prime object of my invention to pro- 5 vide a valve which maybe kept properly lubricated and in which the lubricant may be introducedtherein under a pressure greater or approximately as great as thepressure to be accommodated by the flow line upon which it is to beused, the pressure of the lubricant acting as a counterbalance to theflow line pressure thus preventing the valve core from sticking in itshousing and making it possible for the core to be more easily moved.

a device of this class which is new,novel, practical and of utility; thelubricant in which will be positively retained during the use of thevalve; the pressure of the lubricant in which will act to prevent wearupon the frictional surfaces thereof; which will be simple inconstruction; which will be comparatively cheap ,to manufacture;

Fig. 1 is an elevatlonal sectional view through the center of the valve;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view offche valve core;

'Fig. 3 is an elevational section through a portion of the-valve housingshowing the apparatus through which the lubricant is introduced into thevalve;

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the valve core;

Fig. 5 is a development of the inner surface of the valve housing; and,

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view through the housing, taken at anangle ninety degrees from the position in which Fig. 1 was taken.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in all thefigures;

It is understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size,shape, weight and other details of construction, within the scope of myinvention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or broadprinciple of my inven tion and without sacrificing any of the advantagesthereof; and it is also understood that the Other objects of theinvention are to provide sjz, Serial No. 677,595

drawings are to be interpreted as being illus trative and notrestrictive.

.One practical'embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawingsfollows:

The reference numeral i indicates as a whole a valve housing havingaslightly tapered vertical bore 2 which intercepts a horizontal flow hole3 which is adapted at both ends to connect a flow line, not shown. Avalve core 4 having a transverse flow hole 5 and an upstanding shaft orstem 6 is rotatably mounted in the bore 2 and is slightly tapered sothat a tight working fit is had in the housing. The flow hole 5 is soshaped that when the core is in a proper radial position it forms asmooth continuation of the flow hole 3. It will be noted that the bore 2extends below the bottom of the core 4 and forms a pocket 9.

The upper periphery of the core 4 is provided with four superficialgrooves or notches 1 which are spaced radially at ninety degrees fromeach other. The lower periphery of the core is likewise provided withfour similar notches or grooves 8. The office of the grooves I and 8will be more fully described hereinbelow.

The top of the housing is closed by a removable plate or cover In whichis held in place by any usual means such as bolts II. A gasket l2 or anydesired sealing means is provided between the housing and the cover, anda usual packing gland I3 is provided around the stem 6.

A particular feature of my valve is a metal sealing ring which isdisposed around the stem 6-upon the core 4. This ring consistssubstantially of a comparatively heavy annular flange 20 having anintegral depending tubular portion 2|, the lower end of which has asecond integral outstanding flange 22 which is considerably thinner thanthe flange 20. The flange 20 is countersunk into the upper surface ofthe housing beneath the gasket l2. The office of the sealing ring willbe more fully described hereinbelow.

A portion of the housing is provided with a bored cavity l4 (Figs. 3 and6) which has a passage l5 communicating with the upper portion of bore 2thereof. The cavity houses a check valve l6 of any desired type whichwill permit the introduction but prevent the escape ofa lubricant.

As may best be seen in Figs. 5 and 6f the wall of the bore..2 isprovided with four "superficial grooves l1 and with two substantiallyrectangular cavities Hi. It will be noted that the grooves are placed insets of two and that one groove of each setoccurs at each side of eachof the flow hole openings 3, and that the ends of the grooves are theother groove in each set.

turned and extend toward the similar end of The grooves i i are each ofa suflicient length to provide communication between one of the notchesl and one of the notches 8 which are carried by the core 4, when thecore is within the housing.

In operation the valve will be installed upon a fiow line'in the usualmanner. A lubricant will then be introduced underpressure through thecheck valve l6, whence it will flow through the passage i5 into thespace between the flanges and 22 of the sealing ring. The lubricant willfurther flow through 'notch or notches l, groove or grooves l1, notch ornotches 8 and into the cavity 9 beneath the valve core. If the valvecore t is rotated to its closed position, all of the notches l and 3will be brought into registration with the respective grooves i! andconsequently all of the notches '1! and 3, all of the grooves I1, thecavity 9 and the upper portion of the bore 2 around the sealing .ringmay be filled with the lubricant.

The pressure of the lubricant will be brought up to approximately thesame pressure as the pressure of the fluid to be conveyed in the flowline. This pressure being equal both above and below the core, and thepressure of the lubricant being approximately the same as the pressurein the flow line, friction is reduced between the core and the housing.

The notches 7 and 8 and the grooves l! are so arranged that when thevalve core is rotated from an open to a closed position, the notchespass out of registration with the grooves I1, thus ,preventing the fluidin the flow line from entering the upper portion of the bore 2 and thecavity 9, and consequently the lubricant is prevented from being washedout by the flowing fluid. During the opening and closing of the core 4,at all times in which pressure from the flow-hole is exerted upon one ofthe grooves I1, their closed ends will prevent circulation through thegrooves from one side of the core to the other, and consequently thelubricant in the grooves is prevented from being washed out into theflow-line.' The horizontal portions of the grooves I! are so spaced withrelation to the flow-hole 3, and from each other, and the short groovesI and 8 are so spaced upon the core 4, that regardless of the directionin which the core is rotated in opening and closing the flow-hole, theforward ones of the grooves 'l and 8 pass out of registration with thegrooves l'l during the time that the flow-hole 5 is in communicationwith boththe flow-hole 3 and the grooves l1. At the same time, thetrailing ones of the grooves I and 8 maintain communication between thelubricant compartments above and below the core and with the other'orrear ones of the grooves l'l. This insures at all times an equalizationof the pressure above and below the core, and at the same time preventsthe possibility of the lubricant being flushed out of the grooves or thelubricant containing compartments. It also insures proper lubrication ofthe core and the wall of the housing during rotation of the core. Whenthe core is in its closed position, the grooves I! are again inregistration with the notches 1 and 8.

The cavities 18 are provided for the purpose of receiving any extraneousmatter or refuse which might adhere to the surface of the core 3.

The flange 22 is so constructed that the pressure of the lubricantthereabove causes the flange to bend slightly downward to form ahermetic seal with the upper surface of the core.

) Obviously, the invention is susceptible of embodiment in forms otherthan that which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings anddescribed herein, and applicable, for uses and purposes other than asdetailed, and I therefore consider as my own all such modifications andadaptations and other uses of the form of the device herein described asfairly fall within the scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed and desired to besecured by Letters Patcut, is:

1. In a lubricated valve comprising a body, a plug rotatably mounted inthe body, a stem for actuating the plug, and a head portion secured tothe bod; and over-lapping the upper end of the plugin such a marmer asto form a lubricant chamber therebetween, a seal for preventing leakageof lubricant from the lubricant chamber comprising a ring-like metalmember mounted'on the upper end of the'plug and surrounding the stem andhaving portions in engagement with the upper end of the plug and thehead portion respectively.

2. In a lubricated valve comprising a body, a plug rotatably mounted inthe body, a stem for actuating the plug, and a head portion secured tothe body and over-lapping the upper end of the plug in such a manner asto form a lubricant chamber therebetween, a seal for preventing leakageof lubricant from the lubricant chamber comprising a resilient ring-likemetal member mounted on the upper end of the plug and surrounding thestem and having portions-in engagement with the upper end of the plugand the head portion respectively.

BENJAMIN B. WHIT-I'LE.

